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Phyllida and the shepherdess laughed and flirted with the gentle the country road Innuendos about staffs and goads were tossed thickly about One gentlehty sheep that needed to be chastised, and he and the other two gentlemen baa-ed the rest of the way to Rowlindson’s mansion Ainsley was never happier to clie in her life
When Phyllida descended, Ainsley pulled her aside "Can we not e now?" The banknotes were heavy inside Ainsley’s corset, and the sooner she retrieved the letters, the better Then she could go ho, and turn her mind to other matters, like Lord Ca" Phyllida laughed in real pleasure, more animated than Ainsley had ever seen her "I’m here to enjoy myself And you look divine Coers curled into Ainsley’s ar staircase in the open hall Lord Rowlindson, an English to Isabella, had purchased his estate frohlander and remodeled it, waited at the top He was tall and dark haired with brown eyes, an ordinary face, and a friendly suests seemed to like him, and even the shepherdess and her new flock behaved decorously when they greeted hihtful" Rowlindson pressed Phyllida’s hand and slady with you" He gave Ainsley a wide sreat chums," Phyllida said "This is Mrsum"
"Gisele," Ainsley broke in and held out her hand "Tonight, I am Gisele" She tried to make her voice throaty, her accent French, but it ca
"Bienvenue, Gisele" Rowlindson took her hand, bowed, and pressed a light kiss to the back of it
"Merci, ave him a little curtsey He was courteous at least, and his smile wasn’t lascivious Just friendly with a twinkle of auests, and Ainsley followed Phyllida into the cathedral-like drawing rooothic arches and packed with people Phyllida sashayed in, waving at feuests talked in shrill voices, the noise grating on Ainsley’s ears Perfuh the crowd like an eel through water, leaving Ainsley with her wide panniers straggling behind
Phyllida had said she wanted to e in the conservatory That would be a peaceful room filled with potted plants and places to sit Cool solitude There Ainsley could wait quietly, far from innuendo about sheep Heaven
Ainsley turned to leave the drawing roo Ainsley with them like the tide She was buffeted about, and felt more than one hand on her bosom, before she erupted into a relatively empty corner by aThe as open, ed in breath after breath of da Scottish air
Moveht her eye, and she saw a ed in a V alentleman had his face in her bosom The lady in turn fir away, only to find the sheik froe on a circular divan around a pillar, a lady on either side of him The ladies’ hands roved under his bed sheet, and all three were giggling
Oh, dear
Ainsley understood nohy Beth and Isabella hadn’t ht them simply too busy with Hart’s do, but in truth, they were too respectable to be added to Lord Rowlindson’s guest list
Some of the people here had conize Many ladies wore costumes like Phyllida’s: loose, uncorseted, scandalously low cut Another lady had coe dove so far doard that the pink brown of her niles showed
Drat Phyllida It was just like her to decide toIf Ainsleyto steal the letters, Phyllida could expose Ainsley to all and sundry What a scandal Mrs Douglas, the priy
"Cherie" A man and a wo her up and down "Perhaps you’d like to ith us?"
Ainsley’s face flamed "No That is, no, thank you Excuseskirts and scurried past theh the crowd, ignoring the evil looks of those she shoved with her panniers She finally popped out of the drawing room to the relative calm of the upper hall, and tried to catch her breath as shehands with new arrivals, saw her and sent her a smile Was the smile now sinister? Ainsley couldn’t decide Rowlindson still looked like a benevolent host, concerned only that his guests have a good tiht it prudent not to ask Lord Rowlindson for directions to the conservatory, and started on the journey to find it herself Conservatories, round floor, probably at the end of a wing Ainsley clutched the cool iron balustrade and started pattering down the stairs
A strong hand jerked her to a halt She stifled a shriek as she was pulled around and found herself looking into the uned face of Lord Cameron Mackenzie